May 2014 Posts:

26 May 2014

Search Tip: Researching the First World War

Are you researching the First World War? When searching the Archives’ Keystone database, or other databases, use numerous search terms. The First World War, for instance, is also known as World War One, World War I or WWI. Just to make it more confusing, sometimes it’s an ‘I’ and sometimes it’s a ‘1’. And don’t forget it was also referred to as the Great War or the World War. You could also search for specific battles, battalions, places, time periods, or individuals.

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20 May 2014

Meet the Battershill family of East Kildonan

Over the next 4 years, the Archives will highlight many collections related to the First World War. The records of the Battershill family, who lived in East Kildonan, show us the personal experience of that family during the war. Two sons, Charles and George, regularly wrote letters home telling of their encounters at the front. These letters, usually written to one of their parents, include descriptions of living conditions overseas, their activities, parcels and mail they received and their feelings about the war. Charles made it through the war while George was killed at Vimy Ridge in 1917. We will feature images from the Battershill records in future posts.

Shown here is an envelope in which one of the letters was sent. Envelopes were issued by the military and letters were subject to possible inspection and censorship.

Envelope for letter sent August 1916, #629, Battershill family fonds, Archives of Manitoba

Search tip: Search “Battershill family fonds” in Keystone for more information about the Battershill family and their records.

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13 May 2014

At Home: Winnipeg, 1914-1915

A new exhibit was launched yesterday in the entrance area of the Archives of Manitoba. The exhibit features 100-year old photographs taken by L.B. Foote in and around Winnipeg from 1914 to 1915. The photos show adults and children at work and play, as well as people in the military. You can also see a slideshow of Foote’s photographs of the construction of Manitoba’s legislative building between 1915 and 1916.

Visit the Archives of Manitoba at 200 Vaughan Street in Winnipeg, Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

L.B. (Lewis Benjamin) Foote (1873-1957) was a freelance commercial photographer who worked in Winnipeg in the first half of the twentieth century. These photographs are part of the L.B. Foote collection which includes over 2500 photographs taken by Foote, from the early 1900s to the late 1940s.

Search Tip: Search “L.B. Foote fonds” in Keystone for more information about Foote and his records at the Archives.

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George L. HillMay 13, 2014

These pictures are fantastic. It is a great resource to use with the grade 10 Social Studies course in Nunavut. I can now show my students what it was like in my home province back in the early 1900s. I wish that I could get copies of some of these pictures.

Archives of Manitoba

12 May 2014

At Home and Away

Manitoba Day, 2014 – Manitoba joins the world in marking the 100-year anniversary of the First World War with At Home and Away, Remembering the First World War through records at the Archives of Manitoba.

Get a glimpse of what life was like between 1914 and 1918, here in Manitoba and overseas. Over the next five years, this blog and special exhibits will highlight archival records from the war years.

At the same time, the Archives is launching a Twitter account, @MBGovArchives. Follow us on Twitter for more about At Home and Away and for general information about the Archives.

Last but not least, we really want you to come visit us! We are currently showing photographs taken by L. B. Foote in and around Winnipeg in 1914-1915. Come see what Winnipeg (and Winnipeggers) looked like one hundred years ago!

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Don ScottMay 12, 2014

What a great picture! Looking forward to seeing more. (One of your ancestors could be in these photos)

Glen BlairMay 12, 2014

Great pictures with good detail. it's been years since last visit to the archives and plan on revisiting them now for sure

Bruce BruyereMay 12, 2014

It seems there is no other way to resolve disputes among nations. Perhaps ridding governments and nations and dealing with one another as individuals may resolve conflict!

Hugh PedenMay 12, 2014

Great photo. Makes one wonder how many of this group returned. Is there any identification of the regiment/unit in the photo or the Officers up front?

Archives of Manitoba

This particular photograph does not have further identifying information but we believe that another of Foote's photographs Foote 2274) is of the same group because the banner looks to be the same. In that other photograph, the banner identifies them as the 43rd Battalion Minto Street Barracks. Thanks, from the Archives.